While there also be food vendors and activities, here are three main attractions not to be missed:
A crazy mix of live bands
To describe their mission statement for choosing which bands to perform at beWILDerfest, organizers have said, “Imagine Metallica covering a Randy Newman song while wearing dresses.”
With that in mind, the 2018 lineup includes the following: Gangstagrass, which combines bluegrass and rap, Blossom House, combining 1990s-style alt rock with 1960s-style vocal harmonies, Moon Hooch, an experimental jazz trio, Saintseneca, an Ohio band that plays pop songs with instruments like the bulbul, bouzouki, and the bowed banjo, Freekbass, a funk bassist who’s been a Cincinnati favorite for years, Chuck Cleaver, former vocalist/songwriter for two Cincinnati indie darlings, The Ass Ponys and Wussy, and more than 25 others on three stages.
Spontaneous barrel aged beers
These Urban Artifact offerings are fermented sour ales aged in a blend of red wine and neutral oak barrels.
The variation between individual beers is the type of fruit added. Beipiaosaurus is flavored with 6.6 pounds of boysenberries per gallon, Stegosaurus got 4.1 pounds of montmercy cherries per gallon, and Dimetrodon received 6.6 pounds of raspberries per gallon.
Whirligig variants
Urban Artifact also has a considerable selection of Midwest fruit tart ales. The following blueberry-flavored variants will be served at beWILDerfest: Blueberry Milkshake (lactose with a double dose of vanilla beans), Blueberry Gin (juniper berries, clove, star anise, green cardamom, black peppercorn, cinnamon, apple flower, orange zest, and lemon zest), Blueberry Cobbler (cinnamon, granola, vanilla beans), and Blueberry Lemonade (lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla beans).
HOW TO GO
What: beWILDerfest
Where: Urban Artifact, 1660 Blue Rock St., Cincinnati
When: Aug. 24-25. 4 p.m. Friday; noon Saturday
Cost: $16 (advance), $20 (day of show), $50 (VIP and advance only)
More info: www.bewilderfest.com or www.cincyticket.com
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